Masks
by FlareonRocks
Summary: Masks are masks, they hide us. Take a look at one night in Ba Sing Se where 5 teens decide to be their alter egos. Rated T just cause.


**So after FINALLY seeing the episode where they meet Toph, I wanted to write a one-shot involving hidden identities. So I did.**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Avatar the Last Airbender.**

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><p>Underneath a mask, anyone can hide. Doesn't matter if you're a fire lord who half his country hates, a water bending master who's ex is the avatar, a water tribe prince who's sister finds him over protective, an earth bending master who is blind, or even the avatar who is holding peace in the world.<p>

A mask is a mask. It hides you.

**XXX**

Zuko laid on a roof top, gazing at the stars. He was in Ba Sing Se for a 'visit' with his uncle. Little did anyone know that his uncle didn't expect him until the following week. So he could goof off a little. Nothing felt better than breaking a couple rules. He wasn't going to anything major, just mess with the people in the upper ring.

He slid on his blue mask. It was identical to the one he had thrown into the lake a few years prior. His all black outfit clung tightly to his body. He stood and started running. His footsteps so quick they couldn't be heard in the houses below. He jumped from roof to roof until he got to a wall that separated an extremely high class neighborhood from the rest of the city.

He ran from a distance and jumped. He managed to get on top of the wall. He jumped down and landed on the roof of a rather large house. He slid down the outside of the chimney and landed on top a fruit cart.

The owner of the cart jumped at the noise of something on top his cart. He saw the blue features on the mask and growled.

"You. Get out of here! You're not wanted!" The man yelled. Zuko took a cloth sack that had been previously on his back. He swiped some fruit into the bag and started running. The cart owner yelling after him. He took a couple things off each food stands while running full speed. He heard guards being called. He ran into an alley. He saw a women in a black outfit similar to his trying to open a door.

Zuko knew the house. It was that of a famous doctor that bought out all the medical supplies from the lower ring so that people who lived down there had to buy their supplies from him at a ridiculous price. He heard more running behind him. He moved the women out of the way and quickly broke open the door by kicking it. He didn't see what the women's mask looked like and ran off. He figured he wasn't the only one doing a good deed tonight.

The guards ran down the alley and saw nothing out of the ordinary. They ran back out onto the main street and Zuko smirked from his place on the roof of the doctors house. He secured his mask and broke out into a full run towards the direction of the lower rings.

**XXX**

Katara sighed as she slithered into her sneaking outfit. She pulled over her hair and tucked it into the outfit. You could tell she was a girl due to her curves, but the only total proof of her identity was her face. Which she quickly covered with her mask resembling the painted lady.

Unknown to any of her friends, she had bought a house in Ba Sing Se. It was relatively close to Iroh's tea shop. He was the only one who knew of living in the large city. And his word was sealed.

She had recently heard of the upper class doctor who bought all the medical supplies that lower ring livers could buy. So they now had to either suffer, or pay a months salary for a days worth of cold medicine. As a healer at heart, Katara didn't like this. At all. So she was going to take Zuko's old approach and break into the man's house.

After she had made sure she had a cloth bag and that her mask was secure, she left her house. She started running. After the war she had gained speed, and a lot of it. She managed to go on side streets and through alleyways until she finally got to the back entrance of the doctors house. She heard commotion on the main road and realized she need to hurry. She used a little bit of water from the air and froze it into the shape of a key.

Long story short, Katara isn't a locksmith. So she was struggling greatly to form the key into the right match. She heard somebody run into the alley. She looked over her shoulder and saw but only managed to see he was wearing an outfit like hers. She continued struggling with the key when she was pushed out of the way. The man kicked the door just right and it opened. They heard guards. He started climbing up the wall and she ran into the house and quickly, but quietly, closed the door. She waited until she heard the guards run past until she let out the breath she had been holding.

Katara turned and started looking around. The house was extremely intricate. She heard went upstairs and heard snoring. She saw the doctor asleep in bed with a women she assumed to be his wife. Katara closed the door softly and went to the next room. There was a baby quietly sleeping. She left the room and closed the door.

She heard loud noises outside. She picked up the pace, knowing that soon enough the doctor would wake with said noise. She ended up going to the last door in the hall. She opened it and saw tons of medical supplies. She also saw a window so she closed the door. She took the bag she had brought with her and started filling it. She grabbed the most important stuff (bandages, antibiotics, ect.) then stuffed other random things in the bag until it was full. She strapped the bag to her back and jumped out of the window.

**XXX**

Toph grinned from behind her mask. She was a black shirt and pants combo. It was specially made for her so she could sneak and fit her well, but didn't cling to her and her feet wear uncovered. Her mask was colorful and perfectly fit her small head.

She had recently heard of some young kids who had taken a hobby of torturing the elderly people of Ba Sing Se. They managed to get into the special community because their parents were guards. Toph didn't have this luxury if she wanted her identity secret. She heard the group of boys say hello to their fathers who were protecting the entrance to this special area.

As you can tell, Ba Sing Se is huge. And the some of the older people were crazy. They would attack anyone who wore any red due to many of the insane were veterans who couldn't get it through their head that the war was over. Because of this specially trained guards were in charge of guarding this place so the crazy wouldn't destroy the town. In exchange they could only let certain people in.

Toph cracked her knuckles and was just about to cage the four guards when another guard came running from out of nowhere.

"We need backup. Two thieves have just escaped from the Gold community." The guard panted out.

"We are not suppose to leave our post." On of the four other guards said. The first guard held out a paper to them.

"It's the middle of the night. This is more important. Come along." He said. All five ran away. When they were far away Toph snapped her fingers in disappointment. She ran into the elderly community.

She quickly 'saw' 2 of the 5 boys by a door. One was knocking on the door. An old lady opened the door looking extremely annoyed. She had a cane. The boys started asking what sounded like an official survey. Toph felt the other 3 boys sneak into her house via a window. She ran under a window and heard what sounded like medication in containers.

She walked around to the back door and opened it. The boys looked at her and were about to scream when Toph used earth bending to encase their mouths and feet.

"So, you're going to put all the pills in the right containers. Then once that's done, you'll tell me and I'll let you go. Oh and if you think about screaming, or lying, I'll knock you out and leave you for the lady to find." Toph said taking the rocks off their mouths.

She heard grumbling and medication being moved.

"We're done. And they're all in the right containers." One boy said. Once Toph felt them put the pills back she released their legs. They all left and Toph closed the door. The boys walked away as she started walking the other direction on the road.

**XXX**

Aang held onto a grate in a research facility in the middle of Ba Sing Se. He had recently taken a break from helping the small villages to relax in the large city. He had gone to the zoo he had built a few years before, ready to see the wonderful animals. However when he got there, all evidence of it was gone.

Turns out, the city had bought the animals for testing. What was the testing? A liquid that was poisonous enough to torture but not enough to kill. If it was just a healing thing Aang would be fine but most of the liquid hadn't been made to the point where it would probably just kill.

So that's how he got where he was. He was wearing a black outfit that had loose black pants and a somewhat tight. He also had on a bird mask. He felt right at home whenever he wore it since he was always in the air.

He continued to climb upside down towards where the animals were being held. Most of them were young ones who had been raised in this place. He got to the room. He saw some baby lion seals in a cage with a small pool of water in it. They poor things looked like they were about to die.

Aang quietly opened the door that a normal person would've used to get inside this room. He looked around and saw nobody in site. He looked around and found an exit. He went back and opened the cage where the 3 baby seal lions were. He gently picked them up and left the place, already mentally preparing to visit the south pole.

**XXX**

Sokka sighed as he sat in his and Suki's tiny apartment. It had been 'generously donated' by the king after a certain fire lord told him about what the two had done for Aang.

Suki was currently away. She was visiting some friends in the fire nation. (He strongly thought it was Ty Lee and Mai, but Suki hadn't confirmed, or denied these suspicions.) And Sokka was stir crazy. He decided to go and do some good for society. He put on his black sneaking clothes and wolf mask. You can't blame a guy for being traditional, right?

Once he was ready he went outside and ran to the middle ring. He hid in a bush and waited for a while. Eventually he heard two men talking in hushed voices. He looked and saw them go up to the window of one of the nicer houses. He saw the bigger of the two men dig a sword into the base of the window, around where a lock would be.

The men laughed after a minute. The big guy tossed the sword and helped the other into the window. A moment later the door was opened and both guys were in the house. Sokka checked is mask and ran to the house. He silently opened the door. He heard rustling so he went to where it was coming from.

He saw the men both putting things into bags, their backs turned to him. Mustering up all his courage, Sokka grabbed a conveniently placed rock in both hands. He snuck up behind the two men. He brought the rock down upon the head of the bigger guy. Efficiently knocking him out. The smaller guy had a second to realize what was happening before the rock was brought down onto his head as well.

With both guys knocked out, Sokka grabbed a rope. He put the men back to back and started tying them together.

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><p>Zuko panted as he ran. He had managed to escape the guards. But he knew he wasn't safe. Every one in town must be looking out for him so they could gain the inevitable ransom on his head. He dropped from the rooftops into an alley. He leaned against the wall.<p>

After he had gained his breath back, Zuko looked in his sack. He didn't get much fruit, but it would still help. He knew anything would've helped when he and Uncle had no food.

Zuko eventually stood and strapped the bag to his back. He heard what sounded like shuffling on the ground but ignored it. He was about halfway up the wall when suddenly the places where his hands were on the wall, popped out. Unable to recover, Zuko fell to the ground. Stone was quickly encased around his hands. He tried to struggle but it failed as two guards had hold of his arms.

"Well well well…the blue spirit. Looks like somebody is having an identity crisis." The guard holding his left arm said.

"We could uncover you. But how about you face public embarrassment?" Said the one on his right. They pulled on his arms and all three started walking, 5 other guards behind them.

They got to the main road and a single guard ran up to them.

"Any extra, come with me. That thief woman has been spotted and we need to catch her." The guard said. The 5 extra nodded and ran following the single guard while the two leading Zuko continued to lead him.

"Looks like we're going to have another unveiling tonight. You won't be alone." The left said.

**XXX**

Katara continued running. She had long ago dropped the medical supplies, hoping to lose the guards who had seen her jumping out of the window. She had run into the main street, back alleys, even on the roofs, but she hadn't been able to lose them.

Eventually she found an alley where they weren't waiting for her. She hid behind some boxes and caught her breath. She heard guards yelling in the main street and she decided to continue hiding instead of running.

2 guards came down her alley and she stopped her breathing. She wanted nothing more than to blood bend them just enough to knock them out, but not only would her identity be discovered but she refused to do it anymore.

"She ain't here." A deep voiced guard said.

"I don't think that. She has be." Said the other one.

"Well, how do we check without waking up these people?" Deep voiced asked.

"Like this." The other answered. Suddenly Katara was in the air after the ground under her. She frantically waved her arms around in the air. As soon as she landed stone was latched around her hands. She muttered all the curses she could think as the guards pulled her up. They lead her into the main street and they narrowly avoided four guards who were running and yelling at each other.

"How was I suppose to know somebody would bug them?"

"Why did we all go?"

"I don't have any clue. But whoever is doing this is an earth bender so watch out."

Katara sighed and continued to walk with the guards, praying they let her off easy when the mask was removed.

**XXX**

Toph avoided another well aimed cane shot. She had run into some kind man and started leading him to his house. (Or more like she just followed him, because she had no clue where this old guy lived.) They had started talking about the war and Toph made the mistake of bringing up the fire nation. And now she was dodging as an old man tried to beat her with his cane.

She heard running behind her and quickly metal was placed on her wrists and she was lifted. She growled. Sure, she could bend them off, but her identity was safe suffering.

"Listen, everything is fine. You warded them off." A guard who wasn't holding Toph said to the old man.

"I did? Good job team!" The old man yelled, finally putting the can on the ground where it belonged. Toph sighed as the guards carrying her started walking. She smirked and yelled,

"Help! The fire nation got me!" A ton of doors opened and the two guards left tried to calm down the elders.

**XXX**

Aang didn't bother fighting as the guards lead him wherever they were going. While his black clothing his well under the grate, his mask had been extremely audible against the metal. So as soon as he had stepped out of the building guards and scientists were waiting. The scientists glared at him as they took the seals back inside. The guards put him in metal cuffs and started walking.

"Hey kid, it's good what you did. But research ended a while ago." One guard leading Aang told the young boy after his endless rant on animal cruelty.

"What?" Aang said, finally listening.

"The research was stopped after being deemed to cruel." The other guard said.

"Those seals were taken from a mother seal who was found on a beach. They brought her here where she promptly gave birth and passed." The first guard told him. "The baby were being raised to a certain point to make sure they were healthy before sending them to one of the water tribes."

This shut Aang up. The three continued walking. They were stopped eventually by another guard.

"If you hurry, you can probably make it to the shame circle by the other two unveilings." The new guard said.

"What do you mean?" The first guard asked.

"Two other people were caught tonight after theft. They're both wearing masks."

At this the guards holding Aang looked at each other and started running. Literally dragging him between them.

**XXX**

Sokka walked casually down the road. He still had on his mask and was feeling quite proud. He had stopped two burglars. He bought himself a cabob with a coin he found on the ground. After he ate it, two guards approached him.

"Sir, you are under arrest." One said as stone wrapped around his wrists, trapping them behind his back.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I found the coin on the ground and after-" Sokka started. He was cut off by the bigger man from earlier appearing behind the guard.

"That's him. He knocked out me and my friend while we were gathering things in our house!" The man yelled.

"That was your house? Well this is a big misunderstanding. Why don't we talk about it over-" Sokka said, before running off. He got about a foot away before the two guards grabbed him.

Sokka continued swearing loudly and thrashing around until stone was wrapped his mouth as well. Then he just continued thrashing.

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><p>10 guards brought 5 prisoners to the 'circle of shame'. Basically it was a giant circle in the middle of the shopping district where masked prisoners were uncovered and shamed before the were put in prison. All 5 prisoners arrived at the same time and all stared at each other.<p>

The 5 all knew about the other 4's identities. But everyone had stopped this life after the war due to being busy, as far as the rest knew.

"State your names, criminals!" A higher up guard barked. Katara sighed.

"I am the Painted Lady." She said in a really high voice, much different than normal.

"I am the Blue Spirit." Zuko said, deeper.

"I am the Blind Bandit." Toph said with a strong accent.

"I am the Flying Fighter." Aang said extremely nasally.

"I am the Sneaking Shadow." Sokka said, going deeper than Zuko did.

"You all decided to do this little thing tonight. Are you working together?" The guard yelled. The five looked at each other. Katara looked around and saw a pool of water and all the torches. She nodded just slightly, which 3 of the other 4 caught. Aang slowly raised the ground under Toph's feet so she could feel. Zuko smirked, knowing where this was going.

"Answer me!" The guard yelled, again.

"We do know each other." Katara said still in her high voice.

"And together," Zuko spoke.

"We are," Toph said.

"The Gaang" Sokka exclaimed. The next part happened fast.

Toph earth bended all the guards high into the air while Aang manages to get the stone handcuffs off the other 3. Sokka ran and grabbed the keys from a guard. While he was doing this Katara and Zuko bended their element towards each other, causing a cloud of steam to hide the 5 of them. Together Aang and Toph brought everyone together by moving the earth. Sokka unlocked Toph who broke Aang's cuffs in half. The five ran together towards the one place where they knew they could hide.

**XXX**

About 15 minutes later the Gaang stopped in front of a tea shop. The snuck to the back where the owner lived. Zuko knocked on the door. When it opened Iroh stood, looking confused. Well, until he saw the five teens standing there, smiling as if they had done a lot that night. They had taken off their masks and were holding them innocently. Iroh rolled his eyes and let them in.

Once everyone was settled in Iroh's living room (Sokka, Katara, and Zuko on the couch, Toph and Aang on the floor in front of them, and Iroh in his chair) the kind man looked at them.

"As much as I like seeing all of you working as one, I really need to stop seeing this." Iroh said before offering tea.

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><p><strong>There you have it! I hope you like. Toph, Aang and Sokka, their masks are all linked on my profile. Yes I had to come up with Aang and Sokka's names. I'm probably going to get a few reviews saying OCC this and OCC that. Maybe. Either way. Thank you for reading. Any questions should be ask via reviews or you can PM me. I will try to answer things. <strong>

Please rate and review! :)


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